Topics addressed in this wiki include:
- Robotics national education standards
- Robotics curriculum and projects for middle school
- Robotics competition options for older lower school, middle and upper school students.
- Teacher or robotics coach training
- Links to resources, contacts, and other sites
- And a very cute movie of my 6th graders with their final challenges they complete just before the Great Robotics Race that ends the quarter.
Please email me at
jo.vanvliet@gmail.com if you would like to join the wiki to make contributions, changes, etc., or if you want clarification about the information or if you encounter any problems downloading attachments.
RoboticsMore than just fun with LEGOs or heavy metal!
"Robotics allows teachers to talk about design, innovation, problem solving, and teamwork at the same time they are talking about math, science, (especially applied physics) and technology; robotics puts academic concepts in context.
Robotics also provides excellent teaching examples of the concept of systems and subsystems." Robin Shoop, CMU
Robotics and robotics teams can help you, as a student, learn, use, and improve your creative, analytical, team-working, and communication abilities
ImagineBrainstorming ideas for what you'd like your robot to do. Maybe you decide it should bring you the remote control for the TV on your voice command.
DefineDefining and listing one-action step by one-action step what the robot has to do.
You set the standards for its performance.
How fast should it bring you the remote?
Does it have to return it to your hand or just the area of your chair or couch?
How loud does the voice command have to be to start it on its mission?
DesignBrainstorming again for as many possible functional design ideas for your robot as you can think of. Sketching the design options.
Evaluate Examining all the ideas objectively based on sturdiness, ease of build, maximum functionality, practicality, etc.
What sensors will your robot need.
Light? Sound? Ultrasound? Touch? Other?
BuildFinding and using the right piece for the right place and the right sensor for the mission. Making it sturdy and elegantly functional.
ProgramHere's where you use that single action step-by-step list.
Creating the program, defining the properties for the motion, sensor and other command icons. Decide when loops (for repeating the same action) and forks (for decision making) are useful.
TestRunning the robot and evaluating what worked correctly and what needs improvement.
Redesign, Rebuild, and or Re-program
Deciding whether it's the design, build or programming that needs changing to improve the robot.
Repeat Test and Redesign, Rebuild Reprogram until the robot functions just the way you planned. This can take a while!!
SUCCESS!!
The robot does the mission you wanted it to – Hit the red ball or get the remote or whatever.